Water scarcity is a major constraint to human and agricultural development. Roughly 70% of the fresh water consumed is directed towards agricultural-related usage, for example as irrigation water, which in turn accounts for roughly 90% of agricultural usage. As the demand for fresh water through agricultural development as well as human development increases, more effective uses of water are becoming necessary. This need is even more pronounced in light of the increasing scarcity of fresh water. Accordingly, there is a growing need for an improved and more efficient usage of fresh water.
Some of the water used in agriculture is lost by evaporation, infiltration, drainage and water runoff. What remains can be absorbed by plants, grasses and trees, which are utilized for harvest production.
The effective usage of water in agriculture has not only a sizable ecological impact, but has also an impact on agricultural economies as there is a direct correlation between the quantity of water available to the plants and their yield. If, instead of losing water, the water is confined at the plant's root level for a longer time, there will be a direct repercussion on crop production and yield. Also, in critical conditions in terms of water availability and temperatures, an optimized usage of water can secure the crop from complete destruction and loss of harvest.
Further, water availability around the time of or during seed germination is desirable as the germination phase is a very important phase is the growth of a plant or crop. The life cycle of any plant can be divided in different phases and seed germination is a basic stage to start the growth of a plant. Seeds are often dry and need significant amounts of water, relative to the seed dry weight, before cellular metabolism and growth can occur/resume. A variety of abiotic stimuli, including light, temperature and nitrates, provide information about the external environment that affects germination. Appropriate amounts of water, oxygen and temperature can facilitate seed to germinate. Also, internal mechanisms and chemical promoter/inhibitor influence germination and germination rate.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved soil additive that can slow or arrest the rate of evaporation from soils, for example soils predominately containing clay or soils located in high temperature or high wind areas. This, in turn, helps to provide improved water usage by plants and grasses. There is also a need for a soil additive that is useful in the promotion of seed germination, as well as the promotion of plant and crop yield.